Recognize the Power in an Awkward Movement
Charlotte’s grandma shared her granddaughter had difficulty with balance, speech, and motor development. Charlotte was three years old. There is no question. A child’s movement largely defines what is presented to them when they are absorbed in the outer world. The appeal with these difficulties is to understand these challenges and to fix it. We are doing the opposite. Look at a movement as a guide. The movement, awkward or graceful, defines the presence of what the child is absorbed in and reflected in behavior. The disturbing and confusing apparency of a cognitive disorder needs to be thought of as the matter of the heart. The qualities of an action is key to behavior and recognizing what is going in a child’s mind.
The power of movement can destroy the intention of a desire. But what lies in plain sight is the forgetfulness in the language of the silence in their actions. Movement is a softly resounded voice of all knowing. Meaning there is a voice that is a synthesis of the soul that resides behind mental perception and sensory perception spoken through motion. Reflect on what abides within their actions and what is calling will be revealed.
The Interrogation of Sensory Feedback
Watch and compare how movement reacts with a point of desire. See what is between the child’s intention versus the subtle cues clothed in actions. Does the movement destroy intention? Does the movement trigger reactions? Or does the movement need an environment to exist in a season of exploration?
Movement must be looked at as the ecosystem of wisdom. Your concerns may be similar or totally disheartened to the one observed. Understand the differences in the adversaries: that which helps or rejects announced in their actions. If it is, it’s a good way to further the process of learning and teaching.
The Wisdom in What Spontaneously Occurs
It is in Part II of the WTM program that gives children the room to feel what lies between intention and action. With cognitive disorders, their actions to intentions need specific functional integration. Find a practitioner here.
The movement games and lessons are not intended to achieve specific actions. They are designed to learn how to reflect between action and intention. In other words, between the interrogation of sensory feedback and the demands of desires.
“Wrong” Movements Lend Insights
No action is forced in WTM movement. It’s the total opposite. Being ashamed of what is not achieved is as much a treasure of insight. All actions, directed or not directed, are used to witness the clothing within the body, in and out of awareness. Movement is used to define the slippery slopes of sensation laid down by the body, and what is striving to form a sense of self. This concept is too lengthy to address on this page, however, you can read a little more in the Biomechanics of Psychology page.
A good way to understand a child with a cognitive disorder is feeling what we are talking about. It cannot be understood by reasoning or thought from the brain. Look at your own body, and your actions versus intentions (Experience a Lesson link). And ask, “What is invented from the conditions of these differences in how I am perceiving to what is really happening? Could I be missing something in my judgement?”
Suggestions for Adults
•Experience a lesson : this is a ATM®, or Awareness Through Movement® lesson. Here’s a short lesson on the website.
•Try a Feldenkrais® hands-on session, and compare the “you” before to the “you” after the session. Feel how multi-sensory network relate to cognitive development.
•Join a class based on the Feldenkrais®, an ATM ® class (Awareness Through Movement®)
Suggestions for Your Child
1. Get a Functional Integration (FI) lesson from a certified Feldenkrais® Practitioner
2. Help the child’s teacher and caretakers understand that movement is a knowledge ruled by what is seen and unseen. To develop “eyes that can see,” look at movement as a call for help. This perspective will increase compassion for your child and yourself.
3. Create a sensory-mental-physical environment (6 months of age and up)
- Create a safe environment. Pad sharp corners of tables and sharp surfaces. Lower any areas toddlers can crawl on and won’t be hurt themselves if they fall off. See Magda Gerber’s site for more information.
- Inspire belly-crawls with opportunities to crawl under low bridges (i.e., made up with firm pillows, coffee tables, or chairs)
- Inspire kids to get on the floor to move (put a firm foam padding on the floor)
See lessons in Part II WTM for ideas
4. To learn more about how to look at movement to understand cognitive function, look at the Feldenkrais® Work or the Scientist page.
5. Look a books by Sally Goddard on primal reflexes movements (Goddard, S., 1957. A Teacher’s Window Into the Child’s Mind, and Papers From the Institute for Neuro-Physiological Psychology. Fern Ridge Publishing, Eugene, Oregon.)
6. Listen to this video lecture of strategies used in WTM: 6 Body-to-Brain Strategies – a talk from the International conference on the Brain, Body, and Cognitive development, held at Harvard. (Movement Is, 2018)
7. The Scientists page explains more about how information travels from the body to the brain, body ownership, and motion.
Note: For children ages birth to five years old, there is no need to define the differences between the self and an action. The wisdom of their young bodies will organize the systems with the SB without any trouble.
Summary of Resource Links
Get the book by Sally Goddard on primal reflexes.(Goddard, S., 1957. A Teacher’s Window Into the Child’s Mind, and Papers From the Institute for Neuro-Physiological Psychology. Fern Ridge Publishing, Eugene, Oregon.)